DS is 6 & a bit months, and I started him on solids nearly 3 weeks ago. The first week seemed to go okay, in that he'd open his mouth & was occasionally swallowing, although always with a gagging action. I know he was swallowing some cos his poo changed (sorry if TMI)

But, now, he's become extremely good at not opening his mouth, so we have to trick him into opening his mouth, usually with a "decoy" spoon or some really silly actions from his mum or dad to make him laugh, but even when I do get a spoonful of food into his mouth he just holds onto it for a while & then slowly dribbles it out. On the rare occasion when he does swallow he executes a magnificent gag & brings it up again anyway.

So far I've only bothered with rice cereal (farex & Bellamy's, and always mixed with BM), pumpkin, apple & carrot. It's strange cos he doesn't seem to object to the taste of anything, it's mostly that he doesn't seem to want to swallow. I've also given him opportunity to feed himself, letting him play with the food & getting it all over his hands in the hope that he'll put his hands in his mouth like he normally does, but apparently he's clever-er than that, cos the only time he doesn't put his hands in his mouth is when there's food on them...

My theory is that the gagging has scared him, but I don't know how to get him over this or teach him how to swallow. Any ideas on what I should do - like should I just stop for a week in the hope that he'll forget to keep his mouth closed, or do I persist each day still? It's driving me a bit crazy...